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Acts 17:16-34
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
One of my favorite Bible passages contains at least four superlatives. “God is able to make all grace abound to you so having all sufficiency in all things at all times you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). The breadth of God’s love, his provision, and his grace, is to be reflected not just in an attitude of gratitude – good as that may be. It is to be reflected in a life of good works. These blessings of God are not to be damned up in stagnant selfishness. That which flows from the heart of a generous God must flow then from the hearts of we who have been enriched by his grace.
But we don’t do that as we should. We line our own pockets. We lean on our wealth. We lose sight of what is truly good, excellent, and noble. We need to repent. And that applies to all of us – if you take seriously what Paul says to the people on Mars Hill: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (17:30).
There are those superlatives again: “all people everywhere.” There is no wiggle room there. That’s because, “he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed” (17:31). This is certain to happen, for “he has given assurance to all by raising him [Jesus] from the dead” (17:31).
We rightly celebrate Easter, rejoicing that our Lord and Savior was raised from the dead. In fact, if he was not raised from the dead, we’re still in our sins; we are of all people most to be pitied (cf. 1 Corinthians 15). Jesus died for all people everywhere. He rose to prove our debt was paid. That’s the joy side of Jesus’ resurrection.
Here we are reminded that not only was Jesus vindicated by his resurrection, but he will come to judge the living and the dead. Our need for his salvation is exceeded only by his grace and forgiveness to all who repent and believe. “All people everywhere should repent,” says Paul. Luther said that the entire life of a Christian should be one of repentance. We drown the old nature by daily repentance and faith. That’s a good message for all people everywhere.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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